"The National
Self Build & Renovation Centre is a tremendous facility where we
will have access to a host of independent experts and the vast range of
the latest stuff on display. We’re very grateful for their help and
support in hosting this day,” said Andy Williamson, of Ashburton Futures.

“We also want
builders, architects and plumbers to go on the trip – it’s vital
that local construction businesses are involved in really
understanding the latest techniques, in order to do the best
eco-improvements they can. If people are spending lots of money on insulation,
it needs to do the job as well as possible.”

Meet the Experts at the Centre

The National Self Build & Renovation Centre is the UK’s ONLY
permanent centre designed specifically to meet the needs
of self builders and renovators.

It is a massive resource for retro-fitting existing properties with the
latest measures to save energy and cut fuel bills. For more details visit www.nsbrc.co.uk

The Centre, working with MASHFFF, has secured a team of experts to talk
to the Ashburton Residents on subjects including:

overall eco expertise

renewables

Passive Haus and SAP assessment

project management

materials procurement

architecture

Experts
who’ll be available to the coach trip attendees are:

Dave Hilton – Eco Expert

Dave frequently
leads seminars, workshops and CPD lectures as well as eco and sustainability
training on the self build courses Centre.

Charlie Laing - Project
Management

Helping visitors
understand the finer details of project management.

Sue Dewhirst -
sustainable building & SAP Assessments

All self
builders need to be aware of the Code for Sustainable Homes, which is where an
expert such as Sue can help.

Opinder
Liddar RIBA and Trevor Avery RIBA Architect

LAPD
Architects is an established Chartered Architects Practice with a wealth of
architectural experience and major awards for sustainability and technical innovation.Both
Opinder and Trevor are members of RIBA, with Opinder also being a member of the
RIBA (South) Green Group.

Plus the
Centre’s own resident experts will be on hand:

Adrian Hateley – self-build
and renovation

He's had
plenty of hands-on experience with new builds, renovations and conversions and
can advise on various construction methods and managing a project.

Neil Davey - design and
planning

His area of
expertise covers the design and planning process and he has helped many get to
grips with the design of their project.

David Murphy,
general manager at the National Self Build & Renovation Centre said: “We are
delighted to host this event for the people of Ashburton.

“The
Ashburton Futures project demonstrates the extensive opportunities for
homeowners wanting to make their home more energy efficient, and also debunks
any myth that eco solutions need to be installed when a property is built.
Getting the message out that many eco products can be retro-fitted is one that
is very important to spread and we’re very pleased to be lending the support of
the centre to do this.”

MASHFFF – an Ashburton Futures intiative

The coach trip
is part of the Ashburton Futures initiative MASHFFF – Making Ashburton Homes
Fit For The Future, which was awarded £24,000-worth of Government funding at
the beginning of this year.

Thanks to the
Department of Energy and Climate Change-backed Local Energy Assessment Fund(LEAF), MASHFFF is exploring how local homes can go much greener by
commissioning 12 energy audits on a cross-section of Ashburton homes and
community buildings – many of which are listed or within a Conservation Area.

The free energy
audits show up a property’s hotspots, using state-of-the-art kit like thermal
imaging cameras and air-pressurising to reveal how a building leaks heat and
wasted energy.

As the
average household fuel bill is around £1200 a year and rising – the timing of
this initiative is ideal.

The findings will be shared at a Results Reception planned
for Friday 30 March 2012, in Ashburton Town Hall, taking place from
6.30pm-9.30pm.

Ashburton
Futures is part of the global Transition Network, and is a group of Ashburton
residents committed to reducing their town’s carbon footprint.